Home Audio System Speakers – Wired Vs. Wireless?

Wireless speakers have become the rage with everyone looking to own one at one point or another. With the advent of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, many manufacturers are keeping up with the times by eliminating the need for wires. When you are using your stereo system, and do not want to have to deal with the hassle of setting up the speakers because they are wire-free, all you need to do is plug and play and maybe download an appropriate app.

Despite the hype surrounding wireless technology, some people still prefer wired technology, and they claim that the sound is usually better than when you use wireless speakers. This may hold some water because you’re better able to get more data through a physical wire than over a signal.

Manufacturers have however taken this as a challenge and are coming up with technology and high-quality components that take care of the sound quality. To the less discerning ears, you may not even be able to tell the difference in sound.

The use of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth has made it possible to transmit a huge amount of data thus allowing the manufacturers to take advantage of the greater depth and detail in the sound sent to the receiving device.

There’s also more current driver technology that takes the shortcomings of wireless technology and improves upon them, thereby enabling better sound quality from the wireless speakers.

Even as you try to understand which is better between wireless and wired speakers, it is important to realize certain factors can lead to good or distorted sound such as the size of the room, acoustics and the quality of the material used in the construction of the speakers and cables.

To help in deciding on which is the better option, we will take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Wired Speakers

Wired speakers give you a lot of control on some of the aspects like sound. Whatever system you are using to stream the audio, you will need a digital to analog converter and an amplifier if you want to boost the analog signals.

This will have a huge impact on the sound, something you do not get in the wireless speakers. The thing you need to consider is that you may need to purchase these components separately thus a higher cost for you.

Wired speakers are also very easy to use unless you’re simply hopeless with technology because you will need to connect the cables to the different components.

You have to deal with a lot of wires, and if you do not find a good way to hide them, you’ll have cables sneaking all over. Those with infants or pets in the house will tell you how inconveniencing it can be to have the cables running all over. You also do not have the option of different locations because they are tethered to one source.

You also need to be aware of certain things like how much power your sound system will need when connecting it to the speaker. Too much power can blow up your speakers while too little can cause a surge resulting in damaged components.

Wireless Speakers

This allows you to have a speaker system that does not use any wires to function. They are usually plug-and-play, and the only thing is that you may need to download an app onto your smart device to enable you to pair the system to these speakers. You will also need Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to operate the speakers.

Wireless speakers enable you to pair up a large number of speakers all around the house for better sound.

Disadvantages

The main disadvantage is that you do not have any control over the amplifier or the conversion.

You also need to take into consideration that if there is a power switch or a power cut out, you cannot use them. It can also abruptly disconnect from the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth then you have to start the reconnection process again.

Since wireless speakers depend on wireless data transfer, it requires compression to be done which could lead to poor sound quality.

They are often more expensive than wired speakers, and some require a level of cabling because the main speaker has to be connected to a power supply and then you wirelessly connect it to the other speakers.

You also have to be careful about the range and anything that may interfere with the signal transfer. Some things like walls or corners can interfere with the transfer of data, and you’ll be unable to enjoy the sound without interference.

So which is the better option?

The choice of one over the other is an individual preference, and we may not be able to tell you which the better option is. You have to decide for yourself which one suits your needs based on the conditions under which you will use them. For example, consider the size of the area you want to use the sound system, whether you require to move from location to location, and the components you may need to buy to be able to enjoy good sound.

If you want to use them in separate parts of the house, then a wireless one would work for you because you can pair up the speakers, and let them ‘speak’ to each other. If you are contained within one room, then you can consider getting a wired speaker which is cheaper and will deliver better sound.

The other important factor is your budget, wireless speakers are more expensive, and if you do not have the money to purchase a good quality one, then you should consider getting a wired speaker instead. Make sure you understand all the specs and take into consideration anything that may interfere with the type of sound you get.

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